An extension to the applications deadline for the new Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) past the current application window to December 9, may be considered.
The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Pippa Hackett told Agriland that because the deadline for applications for the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) has been moved to December 7, they are now both running close together.
Minister Hackett said in relation to a possible extension to the current OFS December 9, deadline, it is is something that the department may consider.
“Because the ACRES was extended it’s quite tight now – there’s only two days between them, ” she said
“I know advisers will be busy processing ACRES we”ll consider it, potentially, we will see how we are getting on nearer the time”.
The Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) has appealed to DAFM to extend the December 9, deadline by two weeks.
The president of the ACA, Noel Feeney, said its members are currently “working morning, noon and night and on Saturdays and Sundays” in relation to the €1.5 billion ACRES.
Application decisions to be made
Feeney said in his experience farmers were still making decisions about moving from conventional farming to organic farming.
The government has set a target of more than tripling the organic land area by 2027 to approximately 330,000 hectares.
The new OFS first opened to applications from October 20, with the key objective of the scheme to “provide financial support to farmers to encourage production of organic foods.”
A total budget of €256 million has been earmarked for the OFS during the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which runs from January 1, 2023 to 2027.
Minister Hackett has been keen to highlight that the new scheme will pay “significantly enhanced” rates to farmers who want to convert to organic farming.
For example:
Because organic farmers can face additional costs OFS participants will also receive €2,000 in the first year of conversion and subsequently €1,400 each year of the contract.